The 3000 MW NTPC Kaniha power plant has slipped into supercritical stage with only two days of coal stock in its stockyard. There has been no supply of coal feeding the plant since last 10 days.

A power plant goes supercritical when its stock plummets below four days’ requirement, according to NTPC sources. The coal mine has been stopped for last eight days due to strike by the affected villagers followed by truckers disrupting transport services.

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After the local villagers stopped the mine for two days from 4 May, the truckers engaged coal transportation went on strike on rate-related issues. Some of the locals demanding jobs joined the agitation.

The local administration was helpless due to involvement of political leaders and the state government remained a mute spectator. If Kaniha mine fails to get back to normal production and supply of coal, NTPC will be forced to regulate power generation.

NTPC Kaniha supplies power to 17 states including Odisha. The mine located near the power plant feeds 20,000 to 25,000 tonne of coal per day. A top NTPC official told that the plant stock has come down to 1.7 lakh ton from seven lakh tone. As of now there has been no negative impact on power generation in the six 500 mw units.

“We require 55000 tonnes of coal per day to run the plant in full load but we get in these days not more than 35000 to 40000 tonne. So we are using the coal stock to make up for the deficit. The plant stock is just for less than two days. We also trying coal from eastern coalfield Limited (ECL) to make up the shortfall. If this shortage in supply situation persists then we will be forced to curtail power generation from the plant within next two days and if required stop the units” said the official.

When contacted a top official of Mahanadi coalfield limited (MCL)said that there is a shortfall of 3000 to 4000 tonne per day of coal to NTPC due to problems at the Kaniha mines.

“As against the requirement of 46000 tonnes daily for the plant we are supplying 42000 tonne coal from various sources. We are in talks with NTPC, CIL and Railways to get coal from ECL to Kaniha”, he informed.